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No. 625,246. Patanted May l6, I899.

H. H. CUTLER. SELF STARTER FOR ELECTRIC MOTORS.

(Application filed Dec. 27, 1897.)

(No Model.)

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WITNESSES.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEQ HENRY II. CUTLER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO THE CUTLER HAMMER MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

SELF-STARTER FOR ELECTRIC MOTORS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 625,246, dated May 16, 1899. Application filed December 2'7, 1897. Serial No. 663,697. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY H. CUTLER, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Self-Starters for Electric Motors, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

My invention relates to a self-starter for electric motors, my object being to provide an improved and effectively-operatin g device for automatically controlling the starting of an electric motor.

In accordance with my invention in the preferred form I provide a circuit-controlling arm or element adapted to be moved over a series of contacts or terminals, the arm being arranged to move in one direction by gravity or its equivalent and in the other direction through the agency of a spring or other resilient device, an electromagnetic device being provided forplacing the spring under tension.

In the preferred construction the main motor-switch is operated automatically through the agency of the core of the solenoid.

I usually provide a shunt-circuit in which is included the solenoid and also a switch,whereby when the switch is closed circuit is completed through the solenoid, which is thereby caused to attract its core to close the main switch of the motor-circuit and at the same time place the coiled spring under tension to cause the resistance-bar to move over the rheostat-terminal, the movement being retarded through the agency of a dash pot.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a view in elevation of the motorstarter of the present invention. Fig. 2 is a side view thereof. Fig. 3 is a view in elevation showing the circuit-arrangement in diagram.

Like letters refer to like parts in the several figures.

The solenoid Ct is provided with a core I), through the hollow interior of which extends the coiled spring 0, one end of which is attached to the end of the core, while the other end is attached to the resistance-bar d, provided with brushes upon the ends which move over the series of rheostat-terminals cl d the two brushes of the resistance-bar being electrically connected together. The core 1) carries at the upper end a pin 19, which when the core is moved upward engages the switchlever e, pivoted at e, and rocks the same upon its pivot to move the'blade a into engagement with the terminals ff and to move the blade e into engagement with the te minals f f Upon the end of the blade 6 is mounted a smaller blade or contact 9, normally resting in contact with and closing circuit between the contacts g 9 At the side of the contact 9 is an insulating-block g Secured to the resistance-bar d is the cylinder or tube 72. of

a dash-pot, within which rests a piston 71,,

carried upon a rod h secured at the upper end to the support 7L3. The dash-pot retards the upward movement of the resistanceebar, while permitting the resistance-bar to freely move downward.

The circuit extends from generator is over limb to binding-post 70 thence to brush or terminals f and when the switch is closed over blade 6 to brush f thence to bindingpost 70 by limb 70 through the armature Z of the motor, then by limb [c to binding-post k thence to the end terminal cl of the rheostat through the resistance-bar d, thence to the terminals (Z upon the right through the re-v sistances of the rheostat to limb k to brush or.terminal f, blade 8 terminal f, conductor 71: binding-post 7c", thence by limb 70 back to the generator. The shunt-field coil Z of the motor is connected between the limb k and the limb 70 The coil of the solenoid a is included in the shunt-circuit across the mains and extends from binding -post 70 through the contacts of switch m through the coil of the solenoid, thence to contact 9 resistance g to contact g, to brush or terminal f. v

The operation of starting the motor is as follows: Normally the parts rest in the position illustrated in Fig. 1, the motor-circuit being open and the resistance being all included in the armature-circuit. By closing the switch 9%, as shown in Fig. 3, current from generator 70 passes over limb it through the terminal 70 thence through switch m, contact g, brush 1, limb k binding-post 7.5 limb 70 back to the generator. Solenoid a is thus energized and attracts its core I), thus raising the same into the position illustrated in Fig. 2 and places the spring 0 under tension. At the same time the pin 1) strikes lever e, rocks the same, and closes blades 6 and 6 into engagement with their respective contacts. At the same time the contact g is moved into the position illustrated in Fig. 3 out of contact with solenoid a to cut down the current traversing the solenoid to a value just suliicient to maintain the core attracted in its raised position. The resistance-bar d moves over the terminals d d gradually, being impelled by the coiled spring 0 and being retarded in its movement by the dash-pot. When the resistance-bar has reached the end of its travel, it engages the brushes n n and the rheostat-resistance is entirely removed from the circuit. lVhen it is desired to stop the motor, the switch in may be moved to open the circuit through the solenoid, and the core 1) thereof is thus released and drops of its own weight, as also does the resistancebar d, thus serving to cut the resistance into the armature-circuit. back to its original position through the'power of the coiled spring 0, thus opening the circuit through the motor.

Instead of employing gravity to return the parts to their original position other equivalent means may be employech-as, for instance, a light spring.

Instead of employing a switch m in the shunt-circuit with the solenoid for throwing the self-starter into operation the switch on may be omitted and the starting may be eifected, for instance, by closing a switch in the main motor-circuit, as p or p, to thus send current through the shunt-circuit containing the solenoid, which actuates the same and throws the device into operation, as above described.

WVhile I have illustrated one specific form of my invention, it is apparent that the several parts may be otherwise disposed to accomplish the same general operation and result without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having described in y invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

substantially as described.

2. The combination with a rheostat arm or bar, of a spring or other resilient device for moving the same to cutout resistance an electrical device for placing the spring under tension, and means for moving the rheostat arm or bar to cut in resistance substantially as described.

3. The combination with a rheostat arm or The arm 8 is moved bar, of a spring or other resilient device for moving the same in one direction, an electrical device for placing the spring under tension, means for moving the rheostat arm or bar in the opposite direction, and a dash-pot or regulator retarding and controlling the movement of the bar in cutting out resistance, substantially as described.

4. The combination with a circuit-controlling arm or bar, of a spring or other resilient device for moving the same in one direction, a solenoid, the core of which is attached to the end of said spring and adapted when attracted to place said spring under tension, and means for returning the core and bar to their initial positions, substantially as described.

5. The combination with a circuit-controlling arm or bar, of a coiled spring for moving the same in one direction, a solenoid, and a hollow core therefor within which said coiled spring rests and to whichthe end of the spring is attached, and means for returning the core and the arm or bar to their initial positions, substantially as described.

6. The combination with a rheostat arm or bar, of a spring or other resilient device for moving the same in one direction, an electro= magnetic device for placing the spring under tension, an electric switch independent of the rheostat arm or bar adapted to be closed by said electromagnetic device, and means for returning the rheostat arm or bar and the switch to their initial positions, substantially as described.

7. The combination with a rheostat arm or bar, of a spring, or other resilient device for moving the same in one direction, an electromagnetic device for placing the spring under tension, the coil thereof being included in a shunt-circuit with the motor to be controlled, substantially as described.

8. The combination with a rheostat arm or bar, of a spring or other resilient device for moving the same in one direction, an electromagnetic device for placing the spring under tension, the coil thereof being included in a shunt-circuit'with the motor to be controlled, and means for introducing resistance into said shunt-circuit after the spring has been placed under tension, substantially as ,described. Y

9. The combination with a rheostat arm or bar, of a spring or other resilient device for moving the same in one direction, an electromagnetic device for placing the spring under tension, the coil thereof being included in a shunt-circuit with the motor to be controlled, and a switch for opening and closing said shunt-circuit to the passage of an operatingcurrent, substantially as described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two wit- YVitnesses:

W. CLYDE J ONES, M. R. ROOHFORD. 

